§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the reasons behind the recent outbreaks of Newcastle disease in(a) Ross on Wye and (b) Sussex; and if he will make a statement. [13607]
§ Mrs. BrowningThe State Veterinary Service is actively investigating the current outbreaks of Newcastle disease, but no source of infection has yet been identified.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out his policy on compensation for farmers whose poultry are slaughtered for(a) contracting and (b) coming into contact with birds affected with Newcastle disease; and if he will make a statement. [13611]
§ Mrs. BrowningThe Animal Health Act 1981 makes provision for the slaughter of diseased or suspected poultry or poultry exposed to the infection of disease. The Act requires the Minister to pay compensation for poultry, other than diseased poultry, at the value of the bird immediately before it was slaughtered.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how long a vaccine against Newcastle disease has been available; for what periods it has been withdrawn; and if he will make a statement. [13610]
§ Mrs. BrowningNewcastle disease vaccines have been available in the UK for more than 30 years. Both live and inactivated vaccines are currently available. However, on the advice of the independent scientific Veterinary Products Committee, which advises the Government on all matters relating to the authorisation of veterinary medicines, live La Sota and Clone 30 vaccines were suspended in 1981. This was because of concerns that high virulence strains of these vaccines could interfere with the diagnosis of disease and could spread to non-vaccinated flocks. In 1993 the VPC reviewed the suspension in the light of Commission decision 93/152/EEC on the criteria for vaccines in the EU. Vaccines containing low-virulence strains of live Clone 30 were re-authorised on the basis of the VPC advice and are therefore also currently available.
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§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of(a) chickens and (b) turkeys on farms in England are currently vaccinated against Newcastle disease; and if he will make a statement. [13600]
§ Mrs. BrowningThere is no statutory requirement for routine vaccination against Newcastle disease and the information requested is not held centrally.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the vaccine against Newcastle disease on(a) farmed poultry and (b) other captive birds; and if he will make a statement. [13604]
§ Mrs. BrowningAll veterinary medicines marketed in the UK must satisfy statutory criteria of safety, quality and efficacy. The licensing authority is advised on this by the independent scientific Veterinary Products Committee. Newcastle disease vaccines currently marketed in the UK are authorised for use in fowls, whether farmed or otherwise kept. Veterinary surgeons have discretion to use such vaccines on other captive birds under their care in accordance with the provisions of the Medicines (Restrictions on the Administration of Veterinary Medicinal Products) Regulations 1994. Veterinary surgeons may wish to consult the manufacturer of the product on the dose to be administered and whether there is any information on the safety and efficacy of the product in captive birds other than fowls.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recommendations his Department makes to farmers with regard to the vaccination of poultry against Newcastle disease; and if he will make a statement. [13609]
§ Mrs. BrowningPoultry farmers are advised to vaccinate their flocks against Newcastle disease. This advice has been confirmed in the recent press releases concerning the current outbreaks of the disease.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if any of the birds involved in the(a) Ross on Wye and (b) Sussex outbreak of Newcastle disease had been given the vaccine prior to contamination; and if he will make a statement. [13605]
§ Mrs. BrowningOf the five cases identified up to 29 January, in only one involving turkeys had the birds been vaccinated. It is not yet known whether or not the vaccination took place before contamination with Newcastle disease, but in any event the vaccine would not have had sufficient time to develop protection in the birds.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the risks to farmed ostriches from Newcastle disease; and if he will make a statement. [13620]
§ Mrs. BrowningOstriches are susceptible to Newcastle disease, as are other birds. The risk to ostriches will depend on the virulence of the strain of the disease concerned.